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Executive and legislative documents of the State of North Carolina [1885]

130 ^ Document No. 8. [Session
pies of the sciences to make their instruction too theoretical. Carried away
with the beauty of the principles of a study, they naturally negleict to give that
training in method which gives practical skill in their application. The
Normal vSchool should therefore be careful to supplement the theoretical side
of instruction with tire practical side in the preparation of teachers for our
schools.
There is a prevalent opinion existing in the minds of a certain class of teachers
that vietJwds are of little importance, and if unfortunately and slavishly set in
their own zuays, they may go further, and say that to make our acts conform to
methods is to give them such a mechanical character as will deprive them of all
appearance of being products of genius or the results of a free intelligence.
Such opinions are especially mischievous in our educational work at this
time, as they tend more or less to encourage young teachers, and those without
special desire to improve themselves and to keep abreast of the educational im-provements
of the day, to judge lightly of the philosophy of teaching, and to
depreciate those general principles on which alone can be founded either a true
science or art of teaching. Every art and every handicraft has its methods and
the feest results issue from the employments of the best methods.
Methodology should not be confounded v%'ith individualism or mannerism.
Teachers have their individuality which shows itself in a less or greater degree
in the school room even while applying philosophical methods of teaching.
This individuality is shown in the way one teacher illustrates a point differently
from another teacher ; in the way he speaks, looks, or even thinks ; in the way
his questions are conceived and put ; in the expedients' he devises ; in what in
general is called his way of doing things. This individualism is known as
manner. This apprehension of the true province of scientific methods of teach-ing
has led some inappropriately to apply the term method to any peculiar ex-periment
or expedient which may be selected, but which are in fact only exam-ples
of manuer.
Methodology fosters true individuality, but does not encourage mere mawkish
mannerism.
Though the best teaching is founded on just as truly philosophical principles
as are Law, Divinity, Political Economy, etc., and though tht simplest, most
approved and accepted methods, evolved from the experience of such renowned
teachers as Socrates, Comenius, Pestalozzi, Froebel, and later, Mann, Agassiz,
Parker, are based upon such principles, yet too many stereotyped teachers, loth
to "depart from the tradition of the elders," and not discouraged in their
averseness by some who would, under misapprehension, decry the methods of
the so-called " New Education" which, in truth, is as old as the oldest of the
educators named above^—yet too many will settle down into a routine of hum-drum
exercises, knowing no more of the satisfaction of duty done, than they do
of the whal and the hoio they ought to teach, and of the why they should teach
this or that in this or that way.
But pod augers, wooden mould-board plows, the sacks that contained the

130 ^ Document No. 8. [Session
pies of the sciences to make their instruction too theoretical. Carried away
with the beauty of the principles of a study, they naturally negleict to give that
training in method which gives practical skill in their application. The
Normal vSchool should therefore be careful to supplement the theoretical side
of instruction with tire practical side in the preparation of teachers for our
schools.
There is a prevalent opinion existing in the minds of a certain class of teachers
that vietJwds are of little importance, and if unfortunately and slavishly set in
their own zuays, they may go further, and say that to make our acts conform to
methods is to give them such a mechanical character as will deprive them of all
appearance of being products of genius or the results of a free intelligence.
Such opinions are especially mischievous in our educational work at this
time, as they tend more or less to encourage young teachers, and those without
special desire to improve themselves and to keep abreast of the educational im-provements
of the day, to judge lightly of the philosophy of teaching, and to
depreciate those general principles on which alone can be founded either a true
science or art of teaching. Every art and every handicraft has its methods and
the feest results issue from the employments of the best methods.
Methodology should not be confounded v%'ith individualism or mannerism.
Teachers have their individuality which shows itself in a less or greater degree
in the school room even while applying philosophical methods of teaching.
This individuality is shown in the way one teacher illustrates a point differently
from another teacher ; in the way he speaks, looks, or even thinks ; in the way
his questions are conceived and put ; in the expedients' he devises ; in what in
general is called his way of doing things. This individualism is known as
manner. This apprehension of the true province of scientific methods of teach-ing
has led some inappropriately to apply the term method to any peculiar ex-periment
or expedient which may be selected, but which are in fact only exam-ples
of manuer.
Methodology fosters true individuality, but does not encourage mere mawkish
mannerism.
Though the best teaching is founded on just as truly philosophical principles
as are Law, Divinity, Political Economy, etc., and though tht simplest, most
approved and accepted methods, evolved from the experience of such renowned
teachers as Socrates, Comenius, Pestalozzi, Froebel, and later, Mann, Agassiz,
Parker, are based upon such principles, yet too many stereotyped teachers, loth
to "depart from the tradition of the elders," and not discouraged in their
averseness by some who would, under misapprehension, decry the methods of
the so-called " New Education" which, in truth, is as old as the oldest of the
educators named above^—yet too many will settle down into a routine of hum-drum
exercises, knowing no more of the satisfaction of duty done, than they do
of the whal and the hoio they ought to teach, and of the why they should teach
this or that in this or that way.
But pod augers, wooden mould-board plows, the sacks that contained the